Consumers are paying more attention to what they eat, especially the impact on their health. PHOTO | FILE | NMG
The rise of health conscious consumers
in Kenya and globally has led to a shift in the food and fitness market
with over 180,000 products worldwide reformulating in 2016 to meet the
growing demand for better nutrition, according to research.
Capitalising
on this trend, Kenyan marketers are also moving to alter their product
offerings, launch new, more health conscious foods, and shift the
emphasis of their marketing campaigns.
“For food and
beverage companies, sodium and sugar were most often targeted for
removal in reformulation and whole grains and vitamins were the most
common nutrients to be added.
Health and wellness
topics are more frequently top-of-mind and, as instances of
non-communicable diseases continue to rise at alarming rates, people are
looking to use products and services that will help them lead fuller,
healthier, longer, and more productive lives,” reported multinational
professional services firm, Deloitte in its study on Health and Wellness
Consumer Goods.
“The traditional consumer drivers of
price, taste, and convenience have been joined by emerging drivers such
as health and wellness, safety, experience, social impact, and
transparency.
Roughly half of the 5,000 consumers
surveyed for the study stated that their purchase decisions are
significantly influenced by these new drivers,” it reported.
Another
study on Global Food and Drink Trends 2017 by research firm Mintel
Group reported a 257 per cent increase in the number of vegan food and
beverage launches in 2016, compared to five years ago, due to a growing
interest in vegetarian and vegan products by consumers.
It
also predicted that the food and drink industry globally will welcome
more products that emphasise plants and packaged products that leverage
plants as a way to align with consumers’ nearly omnipresent health and
wellness priorities.
In Kenya, milk processing firm,
Brookside Dairy, has been a prominent mover in this new direction with
the launch last month of its new Fruitness range of yoghurts, which
contain real fruit, and are produced without preservatives or artificial
colours.
Yoghurt consumption in the country rose from
two kilogrammes per person per year in 2013 to three kilogrammes by
2015, representing a 50 per cent rise in just two years, due to
yoghurt’s nutritious value, according to a 2016 report by global
research firm, Ken Research.
“Consumers’ lifestyles
are changing especially those of the young generation. They are in
control of their health and pay more attention to what they consume and
purchase, thus food manufactures have to stay on top of this trend and
personalise their products for this new crop of consumers in order to
stay ahead of their competition and increase sales,” said Stella Kimani,
a brand strategist.
These consumers have also led to an increase of investments in fitness and wellness centres in the country.
Globally,
the market is worth $3.7 trillion with fitness and mind-body accounting
for $542 billion of sales a year, according to a report released this
year by the Global Wellness Institute, a market research firm.
“A
burgeoning middle class in fast-growing economies such as Nigeria,
Ghana, South Africa, and Kenya are becoming more interested in fitness
and healthy eating.
However they are not only
spending their rising incomes on beauty, relaxation, fitness and sports,
and healthy eating they are also showing increasing interest in
products and treatments inspired by local traditions,” reported Global
Wellness Institute.
No comments :
Post a Comment